Something Special
by LCextrordinaire
Summary: Everyone in Sokka's family has a special necklace. Everyone but Sokka that is. And all he wants is to have one, just like everyone else. He does get one, but how?


**A/N: Hello everyone! Here's a quick little Avatar The Last Airbender oneshot for you to hopefully enjoy! It's just my take on how Sokka got the necklace that he wears though out the entire show. **

** I know its not the continuation and sequel to Prize Date like I had told everyone that I should have up by now, but alas, I just wasn't feeling it when I sat down to write. I do however promise that I will eventually write and post it for everyone. **

**Anyway! Enough of me! I'm really not why you clicked onto this page after all, is it? You came to read the fanfic. So, I'll shut up and let you enjoy this new fanfic I have for you. **

**Enjoy!**

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"Katara, this necklace is very special to me. It's from your Gran-Gran, and she gave to me when I was just a little girl." Kya placed the old betrothal necklace into her young daughter's open hands. "Now, I'm giving it to you. You'll have to pass it on to your daughter for me, alright?"

The young water tribe girl looked at her mother with large blue eyes. "But what if I have only boys?"

Chuckling, Kya replied. "Then maybe Sokka's daughters, or any granddaughters that come along. Just be sure that it goes to a new generation of water tribe girls in our family, okay?"

"Yes, mom."

Solemnly, Katara gave the necklace back to her mother, then turned around and lifted her long, thick hair for her mother to fasten the necklace around her neck.

Her mother laid the stone lightly against her throat and wrapped the cloth strips around either side of her neck to fasten them at the back. She hooked the small clasps together, and then turned her daughter to face her.

The small waterbender smiled at her mom, realizing that this was a special moment to her mom. On impulse she leapt at her mother and hugged her tightly like only a child could. She felt her mother's arms wrap around her to complete the embrace.

**_xxx_**

Sokka turned away from the curtained door way and let the cloth slip back into place to cover the door.

Katara got a special gift, why didn't he? He was the eldest after all. The one in line to become chief of the Southern Water Tribe after his dad. Yeah, Katara was a girl and so was his mom, so it was obvious that they shared a bond that he couldn't have, but he still wanted a small gift from his mom or dad.

He walked quickly out of the yard and went to sit among the otter-penguins. He laid his head again the slick side of one of the animals.

"Hey, Buddy."

"Aaarrrrwwww!"

"Yeah, I know how you feel. Like you're the most useless thing in your family and like no one wants you."

"Aaarrrrwwww!"

The otter-penguin turned its head and flipped over with a grunt, offering its belly for rubbing.

Giving it a sad smile, he rubbed his hand over its stomach.

"Katara is a waterbender. The only one in the Southern Water Tribe! And I'm just Sokka... I'm nothing special. Not a bender or anything."

He removed his hand from the animal and turned to flop back against the snow with a soft crunch of the frozen water.

"I guess I shouldn't expect anything. I mean a bender versus a non-bender. Why even bother? I mean, it's whatever. I'll never get a special necklace or anything like that."

He gave a great heaving sigh and shut his eyes. A wet nose nuzzled his cheek.

"You love me though, Buddy, don't ya?"

_**xxx**_

Hakota sighed. Was that really how Sokka felt? He didn't want that. Sokka was his son, his little boy.

Hakota moved down from the top of the snow drift and quietly slipped away. Did Sokka really want a necklace that badly?

His wife, Sokka's mother, had the betrothal necklace from him. He, Hakota, had the chief's necklace. And now Katara has the old heirloom necklace that came from Kya who had gotten it from Gran-Gran. In all reality, it made sense that Sokka wanted a special necklace. The rest of his family had one that each meant something. Sokka had nothing.

_**xxx**_

Hakota lay with his sleeping wife. Her calm breathing made it easier for him to sleep. It relaxed him. Her chest rose and fell with each breath.

He turned his head, his eyes falling to the large shell collection that Katara, Kya, and Gran-Gran had collected over the years. The pale blue ones, the pretty pink ones, and also the pearly white ones. The pink and blue shimmered in the moon light, but the white ones almost glowed.

Suddenly Hakota sat straight up. He could make Sokka a special necklace! He could make it from the pale white shells. He'd figure out the special meaning later.

His wife stirred next to him, but didn't wake up. She stayed asleep, her calm and tired face encouraged him to follow suit and also sleep. He lay back down and wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her closer to him as he drifted off.

_**xxx**_

The snow crunched beneath Hakota's boots as he made his way to the one beach within walking distance of the village. It was the only place that ever seemed to have the pearly white shells in the entire South Pole. He was lucky that they lived so close to that beach.

He continued to walk for an hour or so, finally reaching the beach. The chief walked over the cold sands and slight snow, collecting the shells he needed. After a few minutes he had collected the required shells. He slipped them into his pack and started back.

All that walking for so few shells. It took less time to gather the shells than it did to get to them. But he was a father, that's what fathers do.

_**xxx**_

Sighing, Hakota placed the finished necklace down on the table in front of him. The kids were out playing for the rest of the day with their friends, so it was safe to make the necklace for his son. He looked at his handiwork, quite pleased with the finished results.

The shells were smooth and white, and all lay overlapping the one right next to it to form a very nice look. It had claps so that if the boy wanted he could take it off. It would lay a bit large on the boy's neck, but he would grow into it.

Sadly he still didn't have a good idea for what to tell Sokka when he presented the necklace to him. So far it was, "Ok, so I thought this was pretty and that you'd like it." Certainly not the best thing to tell him.

But, he'd come up with something. He just had to.

_**xxx**_

"Sokka..."

"Yeah dad?" The small boy looked expectantly up, his eyes wide with his natural curiosity. Hakota swore it would get him in trouble someday.

"I have something for you." Hakota let it spill from his mouth all in a rush. Due to that came out more like "Ihavesomethingforyou."

Taking a sigh, the chief tried again. "I have something for you." This time it came out clearly.

Sokka's eyes lit up. "What? Is it a cool weapon? Is it a-"

Interrupting his son, Hakota placed a hand Sokka's shoulder. "How about I just show you?"

The Water Tribe boy nodded eagerly. Hakota reached into the small pouch that was tied to his hip and drew out the necklace that was wrapped in a small animal skin. The boy held out his hands for his father to place the small parcel into.

As Hakota placed the skin and necklace in his son's hands, words started to come from his mouth.

"Everyone in our family has a special necklace. I have my chieftain necklace, your mother the betrothal necklace I made for her. Katara has the necklace that your mom gave her. Gran-Gran even still has her betrothal necklace from the previous chief, my father. She kept it after he died.

"I think that it's time for you to have a special necklace of your own. I made this for you. It's made from the pearly shells that wash up on the beach a few miles east of here. While I made it I couldn't stop thinking how proud I was of my son. You protect Katara, your mother, and Gran-Gran."

Hakota took a deep breath and continued.

"You are brave, willing, and hardworking. You're positive, comforting, and loyal. All of these are traits of a young man that I'm proud to call my son. That I'll be happy to pass on the mantle to when I'm gone. I know that everything will be in good hands."

Hakota blinked, not expecting these words to come from his mouth. They, however, were true.

"I love you, Sokka."

Sokka looked up at his dad, his eyes shining. "Thank you, dad. Thank you."

He took the necklace out from the skin, and then gave the skin back to his father. Placing the necklace around his neck, he realized that it wasn't the item he had wanted, but those words from his father. Words that he could remember forever.

He grinned at the man standing in front of him, then jumped and wrapped his arms around his waist and squeezed tightly. "Thank you..."

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**A/N: So****… how was it? I really do hope that you enjoyed it. I had so much fun writing this one! I honestly and truly did. **

**I'd like to thank _Shimmerbreeze_ for betaing this fanfic for me. She (at least I do believe its a she) always does such a great job on looking them over and correcting any mistakes I made in writing the fic. Thanks! **

**Well, until next time! **


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